Leaking tank

[Toby Noble]

My 1984 280i (non A frame chassis)has a slight leak at the bottom of the passenger side (RHD) tank. (is this nearside or offside??)

I know a similar topic was posted recently by FrenchTVR but I didn't want to pinch the thread.

Can anyone advise whether this tank will come out from below rather than removing the body.

Failing this, is there a sealant/putty available to patch the tank while the resolve/cash builds up to remove the body again?

[danny hoffman]

I succesfully fixed a tank on another car (an Allegro!!) years ago with a repair kit. It had some matting and some putty type stuff - held for years apparently.

[bobfrance]

I may be wrong, but I think there's something in the Wedge bible about repairing tanks without removing them.

[frenchtvr]

Hi Tony, this is the off side tank (assuming you have a r/h drive car). The tank won't come out by about 10mm or so. I cut a small corner off of the inner wheelarch to let the filler neck past. This is out of sight nad quite easy to both cut-out and repair. The bigger the section you cut out the less wiggling and twisting required. I must admit that this was on an A-frame car with the axle removed.
Good luck,
Mick

[350matt]

You can get some stuff called 'Pet-patch' from auto-factors which does make quite a decent repair, just wait for it to rust thru elswhere. another fix is a 2 -part resin mix you pour into the tank (empty) tehn slosh the tank about to coat the inside all over it then goes off and seals the inside. Its available for classic motorbikes but I don't know what its called.

Matt

[shpub]

Frosts do the stuff. Don't forget no welding on the tank even if it is removed as it will go bang! There are so specilaist companies that can do it but they fill the tank with inert gas to prevent the explosion.

Steve

[sevans]

Am I missing something here. If the car is RH drive then the passenger side is on the left ie near side. This tank will come out by just removing the trailing arm suspension, no cutting required.
I had a couple of stainless tanks made, if you want any details let me know.

[frenchtvr]

Well spotted Sevans, i didn't read the thread properly.
Doh

[sjp76]

Is it definately the tank thats leaking? I thought I had a leak in exactly the same place on my 85 280, until I found the breather/overflow pipe thingy on the nearside. Just a thought!?!

[Toby Noble]

Looks like the leak is from the spout that goes to the swirl pot. Doesn't look too rusty so it may be a hairline split perhaps where the spout joins the tank.

It will be patches with putty of some sort on Monday (Car's at the mechanics on a hoist.) Still very hard to see exactly where the leak is without removing the tank though.

Thanks for your advice guys. the tanks will be swapped for 2 x stainless tanks at some stage so I would welcome any experiences you may have of this.

Oh yeah, and to add insult to injury, the alternator light now glows when the car is running, the voltmeter reads zero and the tacho has packed up . All 3 were working fine yesterday. Must be something simple, any suggestions? (would they all be on the same fuse?)

Toby

[paul450se]

I have just become the owner of a 450se with a leaky tank, sevans where can i get said s/s tanks and will the body need to come off??

[danny hoffman]

I could just be the hose, petrol will creep and could make it look like the leak is somewhere else

[jmorgan]

Oh yeah, and to add insult to injury, the alternator light now glows when the car is running, the voltmeter reads zero and the tacho has packed up . All 3 were working fine yesterday. Must be something simple, any suggestions? (would they all be on the same fuse?)

Toby

Check the voltage at the battery with a volt meter with the engine running. Should get around 14 volts. If not suspect the alternator but there are other reasons I am sure.
Not sure about the voltmeter or tacho.


>> Edited by jmorgan on Saturday 11th January 22:41

[paul450se]

Anybody know where i could get aluminium or s/s tanks from for a 450- prefer alloy, are they available off the shelf, or will i have to have them made? What would be a good price?

>> Edited by paul450se on Monday 13th January 10:34

[sevans]

Steve Reid supplied the tanks. They were copied from my old tanks. I don't believe he has them 'on the shelf'. Give him a ring for a price. My car is an 83 tasmin 200 but I think the tanks are the same on all the wedge 2 seaters. Tel No 01928 719267

[paul450se]

Thanks sevans

[jchase]

Apparently when welding fuel tanks you fill them up with water. Personally I find welding anything thinner than 2mm really tricky anyway.

[streaky]

jchase said:

Apparently when welding fuel tanks you fill them up with water. Personally I find welding anything thinner than 2mm really tricky anyway.

You can also fill them up with petrol (remember it's the petrol/air mixture that goes bang. You light the petrol vapour at the hole and weld it closed until the flame goes out!

At least ... that's the theory. Many years ago I did know someone who claimed to have done just that successfully.

[stainless_steve]

streaky said:

jchase said: Apparently when welding fuel tanks you fill them up with water. Personally I find welding anything thinner than 2mm really tricky anyway. You can also fill them up with petrol (remember it's the petrol/air mixture that goes bang. You light the petrol vapour at the hole and weld it closed until the flame goes out! At least ... that's the theory. Many years ago I did know someone who claimed to have done just that successfully.

Brave man, personally i would fill them with Argon (inert gas)

[ralph dodds]

Had exactly the same problem on my 350+2 last weekend when heading off for a local gathering. Check that the indicators are also not working but hazards are: then replace the 15A Indicators/Instruments fuse!

I didn't nkow that the altrenator light would come on if that fuse went either. Apparently, this circuit supplies a 12v supply to one side of the light whilst the alternator output provides power to the other side and somehow through electrical wizardry (it was explained to me by one of the TVR Le Mans technicians last Sunday but I couldn't hope to explain it to someone else), the two cancel out. If either is missing, the lamp will glow.

I am told, but have never tried, that pre-A frame fuel tanks will drop out by removing the diff, driveshafts & rear suspension. Good luck!


Ralph

jmorgan said:

[quote] Oh yeah, and to add insult to injury, the alternator light now glows when the car is running, the voltmeter reads zero and the tacho has packed up . All 3 were working fine yesterday. Must be something simple, any suggestions? (would they all be on the same fuse?) Toby

Check the voltage at the battery with a volt meter with the engine running. Should get around 14 volts. If not suspect the alternator but there are other reasons I am sure.
Not sure about the voltmeter or tacho.


>> Edited by jmorgan on Saturday 11th January 22:41[/quote]